A nurse completes a six-month orientation program in the operating room to be a circulating nurse. As a circulator, the nurse will be responsible for which of the following?

Explanation

• The circulating nurse is responsible for positioning the patient and supplying the appropriate equipment and sterile supplies preoperatively. The circulator also helps ties the surgeon's and scrub nurse's or scrub technician's gowns.

• Intraoperatively, the circulating nurse is responsible for monitoring the sterile field for any contamination during the procedure but is not "scrubbed in" or sterile, and is instead available to provide any additional supplies needed (or to replace any contaminated supplies), and to document the procedure. The circulator must also account for all gauze, needles, and equipment used intraoperatively before the incision is closed. 

• The scrub nurse or scrub tech is responsible for maintaining strict surgical asepsis inside the sterile field and hands the surgeon the instruments and supplies directly.

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